Oar structure



NOV. 1962 R. E. FRANKLIN 3,

OAR STRUCTURE Filed March 16, 1960 //Yt /Y70/Q a RAM/1 E Faq/vxu/v 14770RNEY5 Patented Nov. 20, 1962 3,064,284 OAR SIRUCTURE Ralph E. Franklin, 1818 Queen Ave, Minneapolis, Minn. Filed Mar. 16, 1969, Ser. No. 15,358 11 Claims. (Cl. 924) This invention relates to boat oars of a radically novel principle which facilitates travel and guiding of a boat, particularly when manually powered by a non-skilled oarsman.

For centuries, oars for rowing a boat have comprised elongated sweep arms having substantially fiat widened blades at the outer portions thereof for engagement with the upper stratum of the water and having intermediate shouldered fulcrum portions accommodated in oar locks, thole pins and the like. The inward portions of the sweep arms constitute handles or grips by which rowing power from the torso and arms is applied. Most oars may be turned or feathered in their mountings to provide for angular adjustment of the blades relative to the water surface both in the dipping of the blades preceding a rowing stroke and also for turning of the blades in the recovery or forward swinging or feathering of the ears preparatory to the next rowing stroke. Accurate feathering of the oars by hand manipulation and turning to consistently maintain efiective angulation of blade to water and for returning or skying the oars requires substantial experience and skill, particularly when a boat is rowed in waves and currents. To reduce such dificulties in calm water some oars are now pinned to the oar locks so that blade angulation is preset and so that the oars may not be feathered. However, in wind and waves the return stroke of the arms is often very difficult and in the propulsion or rowing stroke the oars often undercut the water making the return stroke difiicult and also interfering with proper guidance of the boat by application of more rowing power to one oar than the other.

Most of the difficulties hereinbefore enumerated have been overcome by a radically new and novel type of boat oar which I have previously invented and which is the subject of a presently co-pending application entitled Oars, Serial Number 851,627, the present invention constituting an improvement and advance in the art over the form of oat structure set forth in said aforementioned co pending application.

The novel oar structure of my presently (to-pending application, briefly described, consists of a novel water engagement element which replaces the conventional blades, which element consist of a hollow foraminous water engaging outer member provided at the end of each oar for ofiering sufiicient resistance to the water while permitting penetration of the water therethrough, which water engaging member is maintained at an eflicient operating level for beginning the rowing stroke through a buoyant or float member provided interiorly of the aforementioned hollow foraminous water engaging member and is preferably concentric therewith with one or more additional foraminous water engaging members mounted concentrically between the float member and the exterior foraminous member to provide additional resistance to the water if desired, the foraminous water-engaging members and the iioat member being interconnected and maintained in spaced apart relationship by suitable longitudinally spaced radially extending spiders or stiifeners. This oar structure has proved highly efiicient in operation. However, additional experimentation and development on the aforedescribed oar structure indicates that the efliciency of the aforementioned structure may be materially improved upon, which improvement constitutes the basis for the present application, which improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of one form of my invention in mounted relationship with a boat shown in partial section;

PEG. 2 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of the improved water-engaging element of the car of my invention shown partly in section and partially in elevation; and

FIG. 3 is a pseudo cross-sectional perspective view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2 with portions thereof shown in section and portions in elevation.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawing for a more detailed description of my invention. The oar or sweep of my invention indicated generally by the letter O is provided with a water-engaging portion, element or head A, the oar being pivotally mounted on a boat B by means of a conventional oar lock L, the oar being provided with a suitable conventional leather shoulder or abutment lid for maintaining the oar in desired position with respect to the boat, the inner end 11 of the oar or sweep constituting a handle or grip by which rowing power is supplied from the rower to the Water-engaging portion or head A. The Water engaging element or head A comprises an elongate preferably symmetrical annular shell 12 which in the form shown is cylindrical in cross section and is composed of any suitable foraminous material such as expanded metal screening or the like and is adapted to provide sufficient rowing resistance to the water engaged thereby while permitting the same to pass therethrough, the outer cylindrical shell member 12 acting as the initial water-engager.

concentrically disposed within the outer cylindrical member 12 is a second cylindrical shell member of smal er cross section 13 which is also comprised of any suitable forarninous material. A cylindrical float member 14 is concentrically disposed within the intermediate forarninous member 13 and is sufficiently buoyant in nature to enable the head A to float upon the water when in a rest position with approximately half thereof submerged below the surface of the water. A pair of axially spaced radially disposed stiffening or re-enforcing members 15 are provided one at each end of the head A which may take the form of spiders or a solid plate structure, and are adapted to interconnect the float members and the foraminous cylindrical shells disposed thereabout to provide an integral rigid structure.

The outer end of the head A preferably tapers sharply and terminates in a pointed conical section 16.

The portion of the structure described to this point is basically the structure disclosed in my aforementioned copending application. The improvement which constitutes the basic subject matter of this present invention concerns a series of circumferentially spaced axially and radially extending paddle members 17 which are preferably also foraminous in nature and in the fo'rm'shown extend substantially the full length of the head A and extend radially inwardly between the outer foraminous member 12 and the outer wall of the float 14. These paddles or blades 17 serve to sub-divide the annular compartments between the float member and the various foraminous shell members and serve to interrupt the free flow of water around the outer circumference of the float and the intermediate shell 13 and materially aids in increasing the yielding resistance between the Water and the portion of the head A engaged thereby during any rowing stroke above and beyond that provided by the foraminous shells 12 and 13 to obtain improved rowing power, results and efliciency.

The openings in the paddles or blades 17'and in the inner shell 13 are preferably of smaller size than the openings in the outer shell member 12. It has also been found by experimentation and testing that the efiiciency of the head A is materially improved and settling thereof into the water to the desired level is accomplished more quickly on the return stroke if the openings 23 provided in the shell members 12 and :13 are of diamond shaped cross section rather than generally circular cross section.

The head A is pivotally or hingedly connected to the V sweep arm or handle to permit selective adjustment there'oetween according to the individual physical characteristics and styles of the rower, and which also permits the axis of the head A to be maintained in substantially parallel relationship with the surface of the water. This form of invention is designed for use primarily but not necessarily with oars which are pinned to the car locks in conventional manner to prevent twisting thereof during use and enables presetting of the head angulation with respect to the surface of the water.

in the form of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the head A is provided with a mounting bracket 18 which is pivotally connected with a sleeve or socket member 19 by means of a pivot pin 20 which has threadably mounted thereon a lock or wing nut 21 for fixing the relative positions of the bracket and socket at any angle desired. The socket member 19 receives the lower end 11a of the car handle which is held therein by any suitable means such as the fastening bolt' 22.

From the foregoing description, the advantages of my invention are readily apparent. The symmetrical annular arrangement and design of the water engaging portion or head enables the rower to repeatedly and uniformly engage the water with a predetermined amount 7 of desirable head surface during the course of his rowing stroke without having to contend with feathering and undercutting of the terminal portion or water engaging end of the oar even though the oar should turn or twist in his hand while rowing. The float provided in the head prevents the head from sinking and also automatically adjusts the depth of the head so that a proper portion of the water is engaged by the operator during any power stroke thereof. These features are particularly advantageous to the novice rower who is not sulficiently experienced in handling the conventional car to consistently position the blade to obtain a maximum of rowing efficiency.

The paddles or blades 17 located interiorly of the head provide additional water engaging resistance surfaces disposed at a different angle of. attack to the water than those provided by the concentric shells 12. and 13 arid materially increase the total pulling or rowing power provided during each strike. It will be noted that due to the serial arrangement of the blades about the circumference of the head, at least one of the blades is disposed substantially normal to the direction of. movement and the water at all times to obtain maximum resistance, and thereby obtain all of the advantages normally associated with a conventional wide, fiat oar blade, while at the same multinlving the effect of a single conventional blade with the plurality of blades 17 engaging the water during any given stroke, while also obtaining substantial resistance from the-foraminous shells 12 and 13, which also maintain a balanced, uniform stroke at all times.

Theblades 17 also deter channeling of the water in the annular chambers between the shells 12 and 13 and between the float and inner shell 13 and provide for more positive action with the water which passes through the outer shell 12.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes 1. An oar comprising an elongate handle having water engaging means mounted on one end thereof, said means including an elongate hollow shell portion providing a foraminous water engaging surface and extending generally transversely of the line of travel, the openings in said shell communicating with the hollow interior thereof whereby water is capable of passing through said interior, and battle means adapted to engage and resist the water.

2. An oar comprising an elongate handle having water engaging means mounted on one end thereof, said means including an elongate foraminous hollow shell portion, and foraminous bafile means disposed within said shell and lying in a plane generally normal to the direction of movement of said water engaging means to resistin'gly engage the water entering said shell.

3. An oar comprising an elongate handle having water engaging means mounted on one end thereof, said means including a plurality of elongate nested hollow shell portions providing foraminous water engaging surfaces, and a series of circumferentially spaced foraminous bathe members disposed within and generally perpendicular to said shells and the direction of movement thereof to engage and oifer resistance to the water passing through said foraminous shell portion.

4. An oar comprising an elongate handle having water engaging means mounted on one end thereof, said means including an elongate hollow shell portion providing a foraminous water engaging surface, and foraminous baffle members disposed within said shell and lying in a plane transverse to the direction of movement thereof and adapted to engage the water passing through said foraminous shell and offer resistance thereto, the openings in said bafiie members being smaller than the open ings in said foraminous shell portion.

5. In an oar structure including an elongate handle having an elongate hollow shell portion providing a foraminous water engaging surface mounted on one end of said handle, and elongate bafile members disposed longitudinally within said shell and adapted to engage and offer resistance to the water passing through said foraminous shell portions, the openings in said foraminous shell being generally diamond shaped in cross section.

6. An oar comprising an elongate handle having water-engaging means mounted on one end thereof, said means including an elongate hollow shell portion providing a foraminous water-engaging surface, a float member mounted within said shell, and baffle means disposed within said shell and lying in a plane generally transverse to the direction of movement thereof and adapted to engage and resist the water passing through said foraminous shell. 7

7. An oar comprising an elongate handle having Water engaging means mountedon one end thereof, said means including a plurality of hollow shell members disposed one within the other and providing foraminous water engaging surfaces, and baffle means disposed therewithin and lying in a plane generally transverse to the direction of movement to resistingly engage the water within said shell members.

8. In an oar structure, an elongate handle'having water. engaging means mounted on one end thereof,

said means including a foraminous tubular shell and a series of generally radially extending elongate paddle members disposed interiorly of said shell and oifering rgsistance to the water passing through said tubular s ell.

9. In oar structure, water'engaging means adapted for mounting on one end of an elongate handle member, said means including a foraminous shell member, a float member mounted within said shell and generally concentrically therewith, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced generally radially and axially extending baffle members disposed intermediate said shell and float member and adapted to resistingly engage the water enterin said shell.

10. An oar comprising anv elongate handle having Water engaging means mounted on one end thereof, said means including a curved foraminous shell whose radial axis is disposed generally transversely of the direction of' it uh 3,064,284 5 movement thereof the openings in said shell communibafiie means disposed within said shell capable of recating With the interior of said shell, and bafiie means Sisting the p ge of Water gh d Shellwhich extend generally radially and axially of said axis mounted within said shell for resisting the passage of References Clted 111 the file of thls Patent water through said shell. 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 11. In an oar structure, an elongate handle having 1,786,451 Ribard Dec. 30, 1930 Water eng ging means mounted on one end thereof, 2,530,754 Bienert Nov 21,1950 said means including a foraminous hollow shell, the 2,539,698 Jackson Mam 18, 1952 openings in said shell communicating with the hollow 2,711,547 Blj June 23, 1955 interior thereof for passage of water therethrough, and 10 2,893,021 Lundborg July 7, 1959 

